Break the Sound Barrier

Incredible Adventures MiG Trips

There are only a few ways a person can get a ride in a fighter jet. One is to join the air force. Another is to save up about $20,000 and travel to the Sokol Airbase in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, for one of the only commercial fighter jet rides on the planet.

"Riding a motorcycle at 145 miles per hour is like riding a tricycle compared to this," says Paul Cusma, a financial adviser from Tampa who flew in 2009 on a trip arranged by Florida-based outfitter Incredible Adventures, which has organized flights for well-heeled adrenaline addicts since 1993.

On flight day, you'll need to pass a medical test. Once everyone is sure you're not going to have a heart attack, you'll be handed a pressure suit, a helmet, and a custom-fitted oxygen mask. A briefing on safety procedures – what not to touch, what to do in case of ejection – follows. Then comes the fun part. Climb into a MiG-29, and hold on while the pilot loops and rolls up to 18,000 feet. Withstand as much as 7 G's of force, travel faster than the speed of sound, and, if you have a pilot's license, consider taking the controls for a few moments. Another option: Have the pilot tilt the nose up and ascend to nearly 70,000 feet to see the curvature of the earth and the eerie blackness of space beyond.

More Information: Incredible Adventures' five-day MiG Over Moscow trip to Russia, including luxury hotels, breakfasts, and one flight in a MiG-29 starts at $21,000. Zero-gravity flights and extra aerobatic flights are optional additions.